Our View: Clarification on redistricting petitions

Last week’s editorial about the petition drive to change the way Illinois draws its political maps was unclear on how to get a petition from the website independentmaps.org.

Last week’s editorial about the petition drive to change the way Illinois draws its political maps was unclear on how to get a petition from the website independentmaps.org.

You can’t download a petition. Jim Bray, part of CHANGE Illinois!, the group that’s driving the campaign, explains.

You need to go to the site and click “Join The Campaign.” Type in your name and address. There’s a box to check saying you want to circulate petitions.

Michael Kolenc, who manages the campaign for Yes to Independent Maps, will contact you, ask how many copies you need and then will put copies in the mail.

“The reason we don’t provide a download is, the statute requires the signatures and petition text to be on one piece of paper,” Bray said. “No staples. The campaign organizers are concerned that people won’t follow those directions or won’t have capability to print legal size and double-sided. Good chance any signatures collected on anything else would not be counted.”

Anyone who has circulated petitions knows that it’s hard work. Opponents will try to get signatures invalidated any way they can. However, meaningful change is worth that hard work. Ask for, or sign, a petition today.